No, not Athearn BB, Labelle, AMB, or anything else, but a Char Broil barbecue “kit”. I suppose it could be considered off topic, but there is some relevance to the hobby of model railroading (OK, the only thing remotely relevant is that I had to use my Magnifocuser to find the hole for the final cotter pin retaining the left hinge pin for the lid because the lighting where I was working was sub-optimal).
First off, the written instructions weren’t too bad except for one (to me) glaring exception. The list of screws, nuts and other other hardware for each assembly step was spot on. I can’t say as much for the assembly drawings. There really should have been a caveat for fthe two upper leg pieces upon which the firebox sits. The holes for bolting the firebox onto the legs are offset. IOW, the top “leg” pieces are not interchangeable. This was not at all apparent from the instructions OR the drawings and the offset did not become apparent to me until I had the *&^%$ thing half assembled and had arrived at the step where the firebox is added. Even then, it took me a while to realize that all I had to do was switch the top leg pieces. Naturally, this oversight resulted in significant disassembly accompanied by a string of profanity and a strong urge for the product of Jack Daniel’s distillery… What made this whole episode even more embarrassing is that I was assiduously following the instructions, a practice I honor far more often in the breach than in the observance (I’m a guy, we use instructions as a last resort). The rule you must remember in any kitbuilding endeavour is that no set of instructions is foolproof. We fools are too ingenious for that and not always because we fail to read the instructions (although that would be the smart money bet).
OK, you ask, other than the use of a Magnifocuser, how is this relevant to the hobby? Well, there are several things, at least on a philosophical level.
When I was first married and a buyer of inexpensive grills, I learned early that opting for the store assembly was money well spent. One of the last tasks I undertook when Depot closed my store, was to assemble all the grill kits before they went to the floor for liquidation.
What a pain in the rear - and I was doing multiples of the same SKU. Missing pieces, mis-fabbed parts, you name it. The unfortunate home owner would have been at wits end.
Well, as opposed to a HO car kit which I could bring home assembled or not, I had to assemble the barbeque myself because it would not fit in my vehicle in the RTR form.
P.S. For the record, the first steam locomotive kit with valve gear I ever built was a Mantua Pacific back around 1960. I got the valve gear together in wokmanlike fashion the first time I tried it. There was only one problem. I got both sets riveted up all nicely only to discover that I had made both sets appropriate only for the engineer’s side. Disassembly ensued, complete with colorful language. Some things never change.
The first steam locomotive kit I built was a Penn-Line H9 2-8-0 at the age of 10-my dad checked my progress- a smile meant all was ok and shake of the head meant I made a mistake.
As far as “colorful language” my pappy would have wash my mouth out with soap after tanning my behind…How do I know this? At this time I wish to plead the 5th.
I don’t know sometimes I like reading the “Chinglish” instructions they are sometimes good for a laugh,there are entire website out there devoted to examples of this.
To the original point ( was there one )
I love kits for one reason only,I like kit bashing,I’ll scratch build to if I need to but having some nice preformed stuff to modify is allot easier,besides it allows one to practice there not for public consumption language.[swg]
I never have tried the Penn line or later Bowser steamer models but Penn lines overhead catenary kits were fun[X-)]
BBQ kits and Ikea furniture are always fun to assemble though as well,never anticipate though as it always bite one in teh posterior at some point,again time for that colourful not for public consumption language again.
Since I feel I’m still a novice about RRing in general - for me, putting together a kit helps me learn the different aspects of a building, structure, or piece of rolling stock. I may not understand it completely when I’m done but I learn a little bit more each time. I wouldn’t get that “education” buying RTR.
For me a kit is more or less a box of parts. I very, very rarely assemble a building kit as intended. Virtually every building has the walls rearranged, cut, spliced with new doors, roof, windows and details added.
About half of my cars are kitbashed or superdetailed however you want to look at it. The kits becames a parts source. So the 36 ft reefers become boxcars, the 36 ft reefer becomes a 30 ft reefer, the 50 ft steel gon becomes 36 ft low side steel gon. I recently found a kit for two HOn3 wood ore cars. I will use the parts to make one PRR GB hopper bottom gondola and then add another couple dollars of wood to make a second one.
I have “known” you for several years over various mediums, and have always gotten something (more or less) out of your writings. The whole episode made me chuckle until I got to the part about reading instructions; then I had to laugh out loud (LOL)… Without trying to sound like a goodie two-shoes, I generally read instructions of something I haven’t previously tackled probably a couple of times before I head off to the tool box, because I have learned-oh, have I learned; and this does apply to the hobby; especially if I am shelling out mucho denero for one of Bobby VanGelder’s kits, a plastic “brass” (notice the prices lately?) steamer, etc, etc, etc…
Once, many many moons ago, while in Air Force tech school, the instructor told us rather matter-of-factly (and straight-faced), that once we get into “the field” we will forget everything we were taught here. That was fine-and then my BOSS at my PCS rather casually informed me right up front and under no uncertain terms, that if I botched anything up, he would “kick my useless and scrawny (he should see me now…) butt up and down the ******* flight line”. needless to say, those “words of wisdom” backed up by five or six stripes upon his sleeve, brought me to impose upon my old tech school notes-and treat them like the Holy Bible!
Soooooo…At least one of us reads instructions-before we inexorably botch it up! (thank God). Andy, it was good seeing your stuff again, and keep up the good work-I still like to laugh every now snd then.
Rich
YELLOWJACKET EF-3 the electrified answer to the challenger.
Kits I view as a way to stretch my hobby dollar. I’m not in a race to see how fast I can ‘finish’ may layout. The more time I get per dollar spent, the better (although to build every kit I now have in stock at a reasonable rate given the kit type (mostly Branchline Blueprint), it will probably take a couple of years).
As for foul language around parents, I was probably near 40 before I swore in front of my mother, and that was because I was extremely stressed and upset. It also calmed me right down when I realized what I said. There was one other time, when I was about 5 and just started kindergarten - I heard older kids on the bus use this word and I had no idea what it meant. Ever curious, I innocently asked at the dinner table that night. Picture if you will probably the absolute toughest thing to manage as a parent - trying to be serious about explaining how you should not use a ‘bad word’ while trying not to completely loose it becaise it just too darn funny the way a 5 year old innocently asks a question.
And then there was the time I was following the kit instructions faithfully, content with how well everything was going. Near the end, I happened to be looking at some older pictures, and realized that I had taken the instructions too much to heart. They were correct IF I was modeling the late 1960s or after. Unfortunately my era was the late 1950s and I had just shaved off some necessary details. Model railroading was not fun that day.
Well I’ve done numerous grills from little “shake-the-box” 3 leg picnic grills up to big jobs with multiple grates, moving charcoal pan, etc. I don’t do those new fancy gas grills - not my taste [(-D]
My first locomotive kit was the Bowser K4-Pacific. Following the directions I managed to get it together and it ran nicely.
While I enjoy kit building, I only do it because there is a significant cost savings or it’s not available RTR. I also enjoy scratch building. Unfortunately, both are not compatible with getting a model railroad up and running. At 63, I no longer have the option of taking 20+ years to get the layout done. So while I have a stash of kits and parts, I’m using as much RTR as I can. Once the layout is operational I can go back to kits and scratch building. Actually, the layout itself is like a big kit/scratch building project and is the one that brings me the most satisfaction.
The assembly is only half of the challenge. These things take special weathering techniques as well[C=:-)][dinner][:D]. I find it takes it a year or so to get it just right
Insert bolt #1 into hole A and turn clockwise? My clocks are digital!!! You think your box of grill parts are hard? One of my first jobs was building a 6v71t Detroit engine that was taken apart by someone else a year before I started on the job. Ever put a puzzle together with no picture to follow? Being a mechanic for a mining operation, jobs get put on the back burner for awhile when other pressing matters crop up. Right now I have 3 engine overhauls in various stages, One bulldozer final drive, and one cone crusher bronzing job going on. The crusher takes priority right now. 300 pounds of dry ice tomorrow morning will shrink those bronze bushings enough to put in. The other wrench turners are as busy as I am. Too bad they wont let us have some OT.
I remember my first kit was a series of boxcars from something called varney–my dad had these for years before he gave them to me—boy were they hilarious things to build with clumsy 11 year old hands—now I have them sitting on a shelf–all ready to go when I go to the club to run my HO scale stuff—[swg]
The last ‘kit’ I built that was non-model railroading (well, kinda/sorta) was the “Topside Creeper” from Micromark.
I was so surprised at the clear, lucid, careful step-by-step instructions in AMERICAN ENGLISH (not “Chinglish”), that I had to read them about four times to actually BELIEVE what I was reading. Then I saw that the Creeper was made–GASP!–here in the USofA (Arkansas) and was actually designed to go together step by careful step if you just went from point A to point B and on through the alphabet.
Good God, who’da thunk? [%-)]
After the initial shock wore off, it took me about twenty minutes. I’m still reeling from the absolute surprise of it all! [:P]
But I really admire you for putting together your barbecue. I’ve been looking at them at Home Depot, but I have nightmares of getting something either wrong or backwards and the entire thing (me included) taking off for Mars the minute I click the starter.
And if it makes you feel any better, I had two FIREMEN’S side eccentric gear sets on the first locomotive kit I built–a Varney “Little Old Lady” ten-wheeler. However, unlike you, I kept them as is. Hey, I was 16, I THOUGHT the ‘other side’ was supposed to look like that, LOL!
I’ll say this once and only once, ask me again and I’ll deny it. Truthfully deep down inside when someone asks if I want my grill or bicycle, cabinet, computer checked out, whatever, there is something inside me that makes me feel cool, handy, talented, something. I can’t explain the feeling. As if the guy or gal who is selling it to me is thinking, “wow, this guy can do anything. He’s…a man. Can probably build a bomb with his left hand while repairing the space shuttle with the other.” Maybe if I pay the extra to have it assembled the person will think " wow, I bet he can’t do anything." Once I did purchase something assembled, can’t remember what it was, but what I do remember was standing there explaining to the salesperson how busy I was and why I’m not assembling this myself and that the price made it really not worth my time. Busy man I was. The salesperson of course didn’t care why, he was just thinking how worthless I must be. I’ll admit, this once, for me it’s an ego thing.
Actually I see many reasons why a person would purchase it assembled. Non of which, of course, makes the person a sissy man. Everything from, no time to just don’t want to mess with it for what they charge to do it for me. HOWEVER, on occasion, we’ve all had kits with parts that just didn’t fit right. I also have seen what some of these “assemblers” do (I said some) They make no effort to see that it is assembled neatly and correctly in that the part is “adapted”. There is nothing stating the item will be assembled correctly, and will stay assembled for long after leaving the store under normal use, just assembled. I’ve seen grilles with one leg shorter than the other, a handle that is out of alignment, the things sits at a slant, bicycles that all the nuts weren’t tightened up on and the list goes on. Most all of which could have been fixed at the time of assembly by careful bending of bent parts, bit of filing
In my formative years I had the job of assembling display models for the store showroom. Most things went together without problems with fit. A lot of the instructions made no sense at all. People would return things they couldn’t put together and try to keep the screws. You always had to check for them. There was endless ways people were coming up with to buy the assembled display model. We offered free assembly with delivery.
The barbecue instructional text was just fine as far as it went, easy to read and all that. My only real objection is that it wasn’t written for the first time assembler, which most people will be since no one really assembles barbecues as a hobby. It wouldn’t have taken much, either, just a few words to the effect that certain parts will assemble as if they are
Obviously the chief secret to doing a great job with a kit is to follow the instructions and study the drawings very precisely.
I won’t deny there is a certain pride of accomplishment in completing a kit that involves some degree of difficulty or at least, rewards careful work with a nice finished appearance. My sense is that these days that same need for pride of accomplishment is being aimed at good scenery work - and back in the glory days of kits, most scenery was pretty marginal.
When I was a new modeler the Kurtz Kraft line of plastic freight cars was being sold off at bargain prices – and since they were less than $1 a car when brand new, list price (no trucks or couplers) the bargain price was really low. Sad to say I was till in my “airplane glue” stage and I botched the cars. Now I wish I’d just put them aside because even by today’s InterMountain/Red Caboose/Tichy standards they were pretty nice cars. Separate ends, sides, roof, floor, grabs, ladders – but you had to remember at what stage to add the weight.
